The present invention relates to novel and improved means for mounting support legs upon tables, desks and similar articles of furniture, and in particular to a mounting assembly by means of which the legs may be secured to the table rigidly and immovably without the use of tools.
The mounting of table legs has presented the inherent problem of securing the legs to the table in such a manner that the legs will not loosen or wobble during use over extended periods of time. While rigid mounts have been devised in the industrial field, such mounts are not practical for use with furniture since they detract from the decorative and aesthetic appearance thereof.
The prior art related to furniture include numerous examples of apparatus for the mounting of legs to the underside of table members or to adjacent assemblies. Included in the prior art are the devices shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,638,561 issued to Busch, et.al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,544,504 issued to Keys, U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,546 issued to Ruffert, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,697 issued to Lewandowski all show legs which are attachable to furniture or other articles by screw means. None of these patents, however show elastomeric or compressible members which grip and retain the mounted legs securely against movement and loosening.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,431 issued to Gale, U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,953 issued to Bonnamy, U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,511 issued to Triplett, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,701 issued to Hughes all show leg mounts which include compressible or defromable rings, sleeves or gaskets which are used in an attempt to retain the legs immovably. These devices, however, either require a specialized support structure such as a socket built into the artice to be supported, or require unsightly mounting components which would not be suitable for use with decorative furniture.
Each of the devices shown in the above patents suffers from one or more of the following deficiencies: Either the devices do not utilize a compressible member which subjects the legs to the possibility of loosening over the course of time or where a compressible member is used, the device requires a tool and access for the tools above the legs as in the device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,701. None of the devices found in the prior art include means for guiding and retaining the leg to ensure a rigid and reliable connection.
It is an object of this present invention to provide a table leg mount which utilizes a compressible member to form a rigid connection between a table top and a leg member.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a table leg mount which may be assembled to the underside of a table without the need for access to the top of the table.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a table leg mount for a hollow table leg with the operating members concealed within the hollow leg, thereby providing a smooth and decorative outward appearance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a table leg mount which can be used with a variety of cover members or sleeves to form a variety of table leg styles.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a table leg mount which can be used to attach an adjustable glide to a table leg.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a table leg mount which comprises a relatively small number of component parts which are economical of manufacture, resulting in a relatively low overall cost.